Students who take public transit to the University of Toronto at Mississauga (UTM) can have the best of both worlds starting next month, when they will be able to take part in a car-sharing program for the first time.
“We think it’s ideal for students,” says Michael Lende, regional vice-president of Toronto-based Zipcar, which will be providing the new service. “Students don’t want the burden of making monthly car payments, upkeep, paying for gas and insurance but with our program they can still have the luxury of having access to a car at any time.”
Lende says Zipcar, part of an international company which runs the largest car-sharing program in the world, is “very excited” about the new venture.
Aubrey Iwaniw, UTM’s sustainability coordinator, says the school is, “trying to create a large portfolio of options for people,”  including public transit, shuttle bus, bike-sharing, car pooling or Zipcar. “These are all things that will expand the options so people may not need a car.”
The initiative fits in well with UTM’s stated goal to 'grow smart, grow green.'
Lende thinks students will be especially responsive to car-sharing because, “for every car we put on the road, 20 come off it. We’re improving the environment because there are less emissions and less fuel consumption.
“You might have four or five people using the same vehicle in the same day, instead of four or five vehicles out there,” he adds.
Students will pay an initial fee of $30 to join Zipcar. They will receive a pass card that they can swipe across the windshield to open the car’s doors after they have made an on-line reservation for the vehicle. The keys are kept locked inside. The cost is $10.50 an hour which includes gas and insurance.
One of the limiting factors for the campus service will be that, because of insurance concerns, users must be at least 21 years of age.
Zipcar has operated on the downtown St. George’s campus of the University of Toronto for about a year, with great success.
The car has been particularly busy in April and September when students are moving in and out of residences.
“A lot of students use it regularly to go grocery shopping,” says Lende. “You can go to Loblaws or No Frills or just go to the mall. A lot of students are sort of stuck on campus, so it’s freedom for them and they only pay $22 for a couple of hours.”
Students, staff and faculty at UTM will be able to reserve the cars for up to 24 hours, to attend a meeting or class on the St. George campus, or just to meet someone for lunch or run errands.
Zipcar does own some hybrid vehicles but it has not been decided yet what kind of car will be used for the UTM program, which launches in mid-August. An information session for students and staff is being scheduled.
The use of the service will be monitored and a second vehicle can be added later, if use justifies it.

jstewart@mississauga.net